Blooming rentals: grow your returns in the garden boom with stylish outdoor upgrades
5 minute readNot so long ago, many landlords saw gardens as a bit of a liability. Tenants weren’t exactly clamouring for them, and landlords were convinced they’d be handed back an overgrown jungle of weeds. But the pandemic produced a...
Is Buy-to-Let Broken? Facts, Figures and Future Trends for Private Landlords
6 minute readThere’s no denying that buy-to-let isn’t the same as 10 or 15 years ago. Changes in lending criteria mean landlords have to put in more of their own money; changes in tax policy have affected initial yields; changes in...
Moving With Children? How To Sell And Be Settled Before The New School Year
6 minute readIf you thought you’d missed the boat for a family move this year, the good news is you’ve still got time. With the speed of the current market, you can sell your home and be in your new one by the end of the school holidays....
Protection Money : A Guide To Landlord Insurance And Reducing Your Premiums
6 minute readWe all know someone who never insures anything and never has any problems. But given that £8m is paid out every day in home insurance claims, not everyone has the same luck. Although it isn’t a legal requirement to insure...
Letting Agent Diary: Behind the Scenes of a Typical Working Week at Piccolo
6 minute readTo describe this job in a single phrase, it would have to be ‘never a dull moment’. Aside from opening the office, making a coffee and checking new messages, no two days are ever the same. Meeting new people and being out and...
Unfurnished Lettings : What Features Do Tenants Pay More Rent For?
7 minute readThe average age of a first-time buyer has risen to 32, and tenancies are lasting longer than ever. Not all national trends apply to lettings in Wilton & Salisbury area, but this one absolutely does. With renting no longer seen as...
The Story of the Complete Refurbishment of a Country Home near Salisbury
9 minute readIn July last year we were invited to carry out a rental valuation at a period property in Sutton Mandeville, a small village to the west of Wilton near Salisbury. The prospective clients were acting on behalf of their elderly...
Your Viewings: Should Your Agent Show Buyers Round Your Home, Or You?
6 minute readNobody knows your home better than you, but does that make you the best person to show buyers around? There’s a whole lot more that goes into viewings than simply taking people from room to room; what happens before and...
Bigger & Brighter: How to Make Your Home Feel Lighter and More Spacious
6 minute readOf all the different things buyers ask for when looking for a home (from the style, to the location, to the price), two things transcend everything: light and space. Both are precious commodities, and not just when it comes to...
Rentability Review: Does Your Buy-To-Let Tick The Right Boxes For The Right Tenants?
6 minute readThere’s a book by Simon Sinek called Find Your Why, and it’s all about identifying your reason for having a business: why do you do what you do? The same question can be applied to your rental property: why would a tenant...